Patent GB-446261-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in or relating to printing or marking mechanism particularly for use in connection with packaging machines
IPC: B41K3/08
Filed: 1934-07-25
Abstract: 446,261. Printing-machines. ANSTEE, D. R., Benwell, Lynwood Avenue, Slough, Buckinghamshire. July 25, 1934, No. 21780. [Class 100 (ii)] A printing or marking machine particularly for use with a packaging-machine comprises a rotary device carrying a number of printing or marking units, each preferably having carryover mechanism, and each provided with actuating means, the several actuating means engaging in slots in a plate or the like which is rotatable with the printing or marking units, and which is adapted to be held against rotation to enable relative movement between the engaging slots and the actuating means to take place for the purpose of simultaneously changing the numbers or the like on all the printing or marking units. The packaging-machine is preferably of the kind in which a series of medicinal tablets &c. are successively placed in spaced relation on a strip which is subsequently folded over at the sides, sealed, folded transversely at spaced points, and severed, thus producing a package containing a definite number of tablets, and the invention concerns a device for impressing, perforating, or printing a different identification number on each package or series of packages, the printing operation being performed before the tablets are placed on the strip. The printing mechanism comprises a casing 14 within which is mounted a disc 18, which is fixed to a shaft 19 and which supports a series of printing units 15, five of which are shown in the device in Fig. 2. Each unit 15 comprises a series of rotatable wheels, coaxially mounted and provided with the carryover mechanism from one wheel to the next which is usual in numbering devices of this type. Freely mounted on the end of the shaft 19 is a disc 21 having five slots 22, Fig. 2, into which project pins 23 carried by pawls 24 associated with the number printing units 15, the arrangement being such that when the disc 21 is held stationary and the shaft 19 and printing units 15 rotate relatively thereto, the pins 23 which are normally held at the inner ends of the slots by a spring 53 move outwardly along the slots to cause the units wheel of each printing unit to be moved simultaneously to the extent of one figure. Attached to the disc 21 is a shaft 26 having a hand gripping wheel 28 which is gripped when it is desired to change the numbers, the shaft 19 being meanwhile driven continuously through suitable gearing. When changing the numbers, to prevent smudging, the impression roller 30 is moved away from the number-printing units by operating a hand lever 35, when an eccentric 34 carried by the pivoted lever 31 supporting the roller 30 bears against a fixed stop 36 and moves the lever 31 and the roller 30 angularly about a pivot 32 against the action of a torsion spring 37. The ink is supplied from a hollow rotary drum 38, the peripheral walls of which are perforated and which may be covered inside and out with felt, ink being supplied thereto under pressure and being transferred to the numbering units by pivoted rollers 41, 42. The ink drum may be eccentrically mounted so that it can be adjusted to regulate the ink supply and the shaft 19 and the inking-rollers are driven from a common source by suitable gearing. The strip 11 after being printed passes over a blotting-roller and then to the packaging part of the machine to receive the tablets. After a suitable number of tablets has been placed on the strip, the hand wheel 28 is gripped to change the numbers ; alternatively, this and the tripping of the impression roller 30 may be effected automatically. A counting device actuated from the machine may be provided to indicate to the operator when to effect the number change, and a press button may be provided for stopping the actuation of the counter if desired.